 Attention,
moviegoers… Attention, summertime moviegoers… Devoted summertime
moviegoers…
Listen…!
If you think
that remaking an absolute cinematic classic like “The Manchurian
Candidate” was a bad idea, then think again. Not only does director
Jonathan Demme pay tribute to the original premise with an excellent
update that stands on its own, but thanks to gripping direction,
a tight screenplay and powerful performances, “The Manchurian
Candidate” also tops my ballot as one of the year’s best movies.
U.S. Army
Major Bennett Marco (Denzel Washington) has unsettling dreams
about Kuwait. While his memories reflect the heroic actions of
Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber), a Sergeant under his command who
saved his platoon from attack, his nightmares reveal a very different
story. He’s haunted by terrifying images of sinister scientific
experiments being performed on his soldiers, but who are the people
performing these experiments? Why does he suspect trouble when
Shaw is suddenly forced by his powerful mother (Meryl Streep)
to represent his party for vice-president? And what is her connection
to a huge military servicing agency called Manchurian Global?
Time is running out before the presidential election, and Marco
must race to uncover the truth before the White House is under
“their” control.
Though Jonathan
Demme stumbled with his last remake (“The Truth About Charlie,”
an update of the 1963 classic “Charade”), he rebounds in a big
way with “The Manchurian Candidate.” It’s a good thing too, because
if there was ever a remake that was going to inspire heated debate,
it’s “Manchurian.” Fortunately, Demme pays homage to the spirit
of the John Frankenheimer-directed classic while updating the
story to match today’s political climate. Not only is the result
an intelligent, fast-paced thriller that stands alongside “The
Silence of the Lambs” as one of Demme’s best films, but it’s also
the strongest movie to come out of the troubled Paramount Studios
in a very, very long time.
If nothing
else, the remake has to be different from its predecessor simply
because the very foundation that supported the original story
doesn’t even exist anymore. George Axelrod’s inventive screenplay
for the 1962 black-and-white film -- which itself was based on
the political satire written by novelist Richard Condon -- was
steeped in communism and cold war paranoia. The timing was perfect,
and so was John Frankenheimer’s deft, groundbreaking direction
(particularly during the opening “tea party” brainwashing sequence).
By replacing
the communist threat with corporate corruption just a few months
prior to the presidential elections, the arrival of the new version
is also well timed. But make no mistake -- Demme’s version is
much more psychological than political, and thanks to an excellent
screenplay written by Daniel Pyne and Dean Georgaris, there’s
a good chance that it will stand the test of time a lot better
than the now-dated original.
As far as
the acting is concerned, the film couldn’t be in better hands.
By stepping into the role made famous by Frank Sinatra, two-time
Oscar-winner Denzel Washington deftly captures the inner conflict
of a man whose sanity is on the brink. Despite his building desperation
and increasing paranoia, he remains entirely sympathetic, and
you never stop rooting for him.
Perhaps no
one has been more outspoken against the remake than Angela Lansbury,
who was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in
the original film as the senator’s evil mother. Perhaps she will
change her mind when she sees the new version, because Meryl Streep
-- who could do no wrong anyway -- does justice to the character
(now upgraded to senator) while making the role her own. Her physical
resemblance to Hilary Clinton notwithstanding, the Oscar-winner
gives her most powerful performance in years as the overbearing,
intimidating senator whose Freudian relationship with her son
gives her a creepy, disturbing edge.
Where Washington
and Streep give performances that are of equal measure to those
of Ol’ Blue Eyes and Lansbury, Liev Schreiber goes to the next
level with his character and pulls it off. He gives much more
depth and emotional complexity to the brainwashed war hero that
was played in the original film by Laurence Harvey, whose haunting
portrayal of Shaw was nonetheless more callous and apathetic.
Kudos also go to the strong supporting cast, particularly Kimberly
Elise as Washington’s confidant (a role played by Janet Leigh
in the original film) and Jon Voight as Schreiber’s vice-presidential
competitor.
The remake
of “The Manchurian Candidate” was never meant to replace the original
classic, but it sure succeeds as an entertaining and equally effective
companion piece to it. It is a powerful, shocking, gripping thriller
that will stay with you long after the house lights come up, but
it is also filled with so much information and complexity that
you might want to see it a second time. And if you do see it again,
then I strongly advise you to pay attention, watch…
And listen…!
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